


Lights, Cameras, Pose

by nikniak



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: - I will add more tags and characters as I go, Fashion AU, Fashion Designer Yuuri, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Model Victor Nikiforov, POV Victor Nikiforov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-10-09 01:21:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10400559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nikniak/pseuds/nikniak
Summary: Viktor Nikiforov, world renowned model, has hit his all time low. He was no longer able to see the point in going on with what he did. He's completely lost his spark, and it was painfully obvious. Why couldn't the rest of the world see that? He smiles, he laughs, he walks down the runway and poses like he means it, but it all felt so wrong and so fake to him. Then a certain designer comes along and asks Viktor to model the clothes they've designed. At first Viktor treats this simply as another job, but it soon becomes so much more.





	

Bright lights, cameras flashing. Everything came to life whenever Viktor strode down the catwalk. His surroundings sparkled like stars in the night sky, and the atmosphere had always given him so much vigor. He loved seeing the smiles that appeared on people’s faces as they watched him. He absolutely adored it.

He also modeled for photo shoots for magazines and such, which he found himself enjoying just as much as the fashion shows. Most especially when they were outdoors on bright sunny days. He got to meet some interesting people. Most importantly though, the art boosted his confidence and taught him to love himself more along with his body. There was very little room for self loathing when everyone showered compliments down on him.

At the young age of sixteen, he'd dazzled the world with his image and charisma. He couldn't understand why, but he loved it. He loved it all: the attention, his job, the clothes he got to wear, the cameras, everything. Now twenty-six, Viktor Nikiforov has made a name for himself as a living legend in the world of fashion, never failing to surprise everyone with something different. Something they would never expect him to do.  
  
But something had changed, and Viktor wasn't sure when he came to this realization. Maybe it was after his last photoshoot, or in the middle of one of the shows he was modeling in. Maybe it was while he was being interviewed about his job and what his next plan of action was.

Whenever it was, Viktor became conscious of his actions becoming more forced. Strained. Fake. This time was no different. Last time was exactly the same. He doubted the future would bring him any more surprises. His days were replayed over and over, becoming monotonous and stale. His world had gone black and white before he realized it, and now it was too late to bring the color back.

Viktor had just finished modeling for another photo shoot. The flash of the cameras were blinding. It honestly gave him a headache. Smiling made his face hurt, and posing without passion probably only made him look even more ridiculous than he knew he already did.

He was waiting for everyone to finally realize how bland he's become. He couldn't see how they couldn't. How he was just a doll playing dress up. How this was all an act and he was just one big joke. How he’d become a clown. A man hidden behind the face of his youth. He was so fake _fake_ **_fake_ **.

He sat in the car’s backseat in silence as he made his way back home. He was worn out and wanted nothing more than a nap and a hug from Makkachin. Honestly, anything other than kept his mind off of his work would be great. He didn’t want to think about his schedule. He didn’t want to think about having to force himself to get up early when the sun was barely up. He was just so so tired. He’s surprised that the exhaustion hasn’t killed him.

“Viktor? Viktor are you listening?”

Viktor snapped his attention back to Yakov, his manager. He’d been good to him all these years, putting up with his impulsive behavior and taking care of his well being. The least Viktor could do now was pay some mind to what he was saying. “Sorry, sorry,” he apologized, “Continue what you were saying.”

“I wanted to know if you’ve ever heard of the anonymous designer who goes by the name Katsudon,” Yakov repeated, now taking hold of Viktor’s full attention.

 _Katsudon_. Yes, Viktor was very familiar with this designer as they were the talk of the industry every time they came out with something new. Katsudon made a name for themselves through another designer, Minako Okukawa. After she disappeared for a year, she returned with great enthusiasm as she advertised a fashion show she was hosting called “Glass Heart.” There, the clothes designed by who Minako introduced as “Katsudon” were featured for the first time, the method of its presentation sparking the interests of designers everywhere. Viktor hadn’t gone to the first fashion show himself, but he had seen video clips and photos, and he can definitely say that it was impressive.

He doubted that there was anyone in the fashion industry who didn’t know about Katsudon at this point. From them, you could always expect something new. You could always look forward to wonderful surprises. You could always look forward to the feeling of excitement and wonder.

But no one knew who Katsudon really was, and Minako refused to reveal anything about them. They’ve never appeared at their own fashion shows and they’ve never accepted any interviews. The only way to contact them was through email, but even then they rarely responded. Without a voice or face, the anonymous designer probably led their life in peace, being able to focus solely on their designs. That sort of lifestyle sounded so nice to Viktor. He wouldn’t mind dropping everything he had and following their footsteps.

Viktor wasn’t sure why Yakov even had to ask, he already knew what Viktor’s answer was going to be. Viktor went ahead and answered him saying, “Yes, why are you asking?”

“Their manager, Okukawa Minako, requested for you to model for Katsudon’s next show. Do you want to do it?”

Viktor went quiet. It’s not that he minded, but it felt as if this came out of nowhere. Most of those who modeled for Katsudon have said that they know them personally and are close friends with them, so if he were to model, he’d be the odd one out. It felt… wrong. But what place was he in to complain? He’s never turned a request down; what makes this any different? It was just another job. It was just another show. It was just one more thing he had to deal with.

With a smile, Viktor accepted. “I don’t see why not.”

 

* * *

 

It was a new day, and it was supposed to a be a free day, but Yakov had given Viktor a large binder filled with an awful lot of paper, simply giving Viktor the instructions to “go over it.” Said binder was currently on his coffee table as Viktor sat quietly on the sofa drinking coffee with Makkachin’s head resting on his lap. It was quiet, the coffee was bitter, and he was most definitely bored.

He set his mug down, picked up the binder and just stared at it. He looked on the spine, and saw that it was labeled “Memories // Katsudon.” This sparked enough curiosity in him to finally open up the binder. To his surprise, he was greeted by lovely illustrations, ranging in multitudes of colors, all seeming to want to come to life and pop out of the pages. Next to those illustrations were various designs of clothes, ideas, concepts, and _stories_.

With each unique design came its own unique story. They were either simple scenarios, no longer than a few handwritten sentences, or long, thought-out stories that were typed. It really explained why there was so much in one binder. Viktor read every single page, fixated his eyes on every single detail, and most importantly, he felt awe, something he didn’t believe he’s felt for years.

He was within the last few pages of the binder. So far he counted at least thirty-nine different designs, meaning he read at least thirty-nine different stories in various lengths. After a page that included a large, fluffy, cloud-like coat with a lovely gradient from a light mocha color to an orange, and a story about a small poodle chasing a butterfly was the fortieth design. This concept felt different from all the other ones he’s seen so far.

It was elaborate. On the side where an illustration should be, was a collage of what he guessed were variations of the same design, which included a crayon drawing of a child. There was a white button-up collared shirt with gold stitching that made a frosty effect. Then the pants and dress shoes were black, as well as the tie and pair of gloves.

It seemed nothing out of the ordinary until the same drawing was taken, but with a long trench coat worn over it. It was black towards the top, smoothly flowing into a deep magenta color. There was a part that he was fairly certain that you could see through. It was a small area that went around the waist. On it, elaborate designs of snow were stitched in gold, the golden stitching creeped downwards from there to the long portion of the coat that flowed down below your knees. It was stunning. Beautiful. Marvelous. There weren’t enough words to describe how much Viktor loved it.

The story it was tailored for was much longer compared to the rest. It took up the last five pages within the binder, but the beginning was mostly background information on the whole design, and why it was created. It allowed Viktor to understand and appreciate the design even more.

The design was first made when Katsudon was about eight, starting off as just something they thought an ice skater would wear. Then drawn again when they were twelve, trying to make it look more like something a model might wear. Every single piece attached to that collage was the same design changing over the course of years.

That to Viktor was amazing. So much time and care was put into one design, and seeing its development over the years made Viktor want to see what it may become if Katsudon kept working on it and redesigning it. He just found it so different and interesting.

He paused his reading after Katsudon stated in the text that they’d start telling the design’s story from that point onwards. Viktor wanted to take just a bit of time to think. To collect his thoughts. To summarize everything he just saw. To understand.

Until now, Viktor had never been able to properly grasp Katsudon’s motives. He had just thought that they were merely another designer trying to make it big in this world. After looking through the whole binder though, he saw just how wrong he was, and felt so so bad for that. Through the art, the concept designs, as well as the writing, he was able to get to know the anonymous designer in a way he hadn’t believed was possible unless you were talking face to face.

Viktor came to understand their thoughts and their emotions. He saw Katsudon’s dreams become reality in a few short words and a picture or two. He literally got examples of how they grew as a designer and artist. Through this person, he was able to feel the emotions he thought had vanished. Actual, genuine emotions. It was a magnificent feeling. A feeling that he never wanted to let go.

Viktor took his time to look over the design one more time before he began reading. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but he’s pretty sure that he didn’t sign up for the wave of emotions that hit him. The previous stories felt like objects of the past. Things that had actually happened. Things that were actually seen. _Memories_. More specifically, Katsudon’s memories. At least that’s what he felt was safe to assume. This story on the other hand seemed to tell the story of another.

It was about a prince. He had dashing looks, the brightest smile, an awfully kind heart. The world loved the man. But even when the prince had everything, there was still the irritating feeling that something was missing in his life. As if there was something more. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he looked for it. He searched his home land, before exploring the ends of the earth, leaving no stone unturned. He kept looking only to learn that he’d been looking in all the wrong places.

What the prince was looking for was found deep within himself. One of his most craved desires, pushed to the back of his mind. He wanted love. Love for himself. Love for someone else. Love _from_ someone else. It was not the same kind of love he got from the world. He wanted it to be personal. For it to be intimate.

He wanted to be loved for who _he_ was, and not the him he _showed_ to the world. He didn't want to be loved for just for his charm. He wanted someone he can freely talk to about anything. About his problems, his insecurities, the things that made him fear for the worst. Just someone who he could be himself around without closing anything off. What the prince wanted was nothing more than _true_ love.

Viktor flipped the pages back and forth several times, expecting more words to appear. That would have been nice, but none did.

The story ended. It ended as soon as the prince realized what he wanted. Five pages of text, two explaining the design, three telling the story, and it felt as if there should have been more. Viktor _needed_ more. Not want. Need. He didn’t know when he had started crying, but he was definitely crying. The story made something click within him. Made him see something he was missing, and he couldn’t believe that it took a story written by a person he had never even met to make him realize it.

If Viktor didn’t know any better, he would have let himself believe that the whole story was directed towards him. That being invited to model was Katsudon’s quiet way of calling him out on his obvious bullshit. He wasn’t going to lie, he’s honestly be thankful for that. Its helped him more than a lot of ineffective advice he’s been given.

Just as Viktor was about the close the binder, he noticed a sticky note attached to the back of the last page.

  

> _“Sorry, this story is incomplete. But it feels right to end it like this for now.”_
> 
> _Signed, Katsudon_

 

* * *

 

“Mr. Nikiforov! It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Minako greeted him as he sat in a booth towards the back of a small Cafe in Japan.

It was only three weeks before Katsudon’s fashion show. Normally, he’d get to where the shows are held about a week prior. He’d be there for fitting, rehearsals, the show, then leave. But Minako wanted to talk to Viktor personally. She wanted to talk to all the models personally. He happened to have a lot of free time, so he agreed on meeting with her first, which meant he had to get there a bit earlier. It was also just an excuse for him to relax away from work for a little while. Just a short vacation.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, but please, Viktor is fine,” he said to her, smiling brightly.

She nodded, giving a thumbs up, telling him that calling her Minako would be fine as well in that case. before taking out a binder, similar to the one he received a month before. “Down to business,” she told him, her tone more serious now, “I sent you a binder with copies of Katsudon’s designs and ideas. What were your thoughts on them?”

“Ah, well to keep it simple, I adored them. I looked over them again and again whenever I had time to spare,” Viktor responded.

“That’s great! Katsudon put their heart and soul into this project. Especially the last one. They’ve been working on that for a very long time now. It may not even be done judging by how reluctant they were to add it in. I’m glad they did in the end. I was wondering when they’d finally show it off to everyone.”

Viktor couldn’t help but laugh a little and nod as he admitted, “Well it was definitely my personal favorite.”

With those few words, Minako’s expression seemed to become more ecstatic. She was grinning, couldn’t even keep herself from standing up from her seat. “That’s fantastic! I was actually going to ask if you could be the one to wear it!”

It took a bit for that to register in Viktor’s head. He doesn’t usually get requests to wear anything specific. In fact, most designers don’t make these kinds of request at all. He was especially surprised because this is just his first time modeling for Katsudon’s shows. Viktor couldn’t come up with anything to say at first, and he probably would have choked on his words if he didn’t clear his throat beforehand.

“That would be wonderful!,” Viktor says, clapping his hands together, “But why me?”

Minako just smirked and leaned in as if to tell him a secret, “Let’s just say that a friend of mine would love to see you wearing it, and I couldn’t agree more. It would look perfect on you!”

Viktor was especially flattered. Especially since Minako was so enthusiastic about it. She was practically glowing after he agreed. Once she settled down, they quickly went over other things such as which other designs he wouldn’t mind wearing, and what the whole show was supposed to be like.

There would be eight models including himself, the order would have them in a rotation so that they could have time to quickly change, each person having five different things to wear out of the forty. Usually for forty designs there would have been twenty models. Being able to wear a lot more seemed nice though. Viktor is decidedly last in the order of the eight people modeling.

After that she explained to him how the whole show was usually done in terms of concept rather than what the models had to do. This way he wouldn’t be lost the moment it started. Each show had a small booklet that had summarized versions of the stories that Katsudon wrote, and as each model walked on stage wearing said designs, the host (that being Minako) would tell an even more summarized version. Enough that she would only have to speak five to ten words. Sometimes even less. This was a bit different.  Often times, the host would only speak in the beginning and end, but he liked this. He liked the change.

At the end of the event, all the models would walk together on the catwalk one last time, and as soon as they were off, the host would get back on the runway and speak one last time before ending the show.

It was simple. Viktor didn’t have any complaints. Before they said their goodbyes though, Viktor just had to ask one last question. “Can I ask you something? About Katsudon specifically.”

Minako’s expression slowly became serious upon the realization of what Viktor had just requested. “It can’t be anything personal about them.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t be,” Viktor reassures, “It’s just about how intimate the whole process is with Katsudon’s shows. I’ve never had to talk to the manager a few weeks before shows. In fact, I usually only talk to them either the day before, or on the day of. Not only that, but getting a whole binder filled with ideas and designs and just… everything that they’ve created is something big in itself. Why do they do it?”

Minako’s smile soon returned to her face. She seemed to be thinking carefully about what her response would be. Viktor waited patiently for a minute before she finally explains to him, “It’s just their personal work ethic. Katsudon is an extremely private person. It’s upsetting for me, and I’m sure to many others as well, but the one thing they aren’t afraid of sharing to the world is everything that goes on in their head whenever they create something new. It’s the one thing that they give out without shame. Always after the show, the clothes go on display in Katsudon’s public gallery along with the art and stories. I’ve seen the emotions that Katsudon is able to make people feel, and it’s amazing. Really something to behold. And that’s what Katsudon loves to see. That’s why they do all this. They want people to understand them. To know them, even when they aren’t there. It’s their own way of showing himself to the world.”

Viktor was silent. He took in every single word Minako said to heart, not being able to help but smile. Hearing this from someone who knows the designer themselves really made his respect for the person grow. He thanked Minako for the wonderful talk, and went on his way back to the hotel he was staying in. As he walked through the crowds of people, he couldn’t help but let his mind fill with the thoughts of Katsudon, a warm smile creeping onto his face.

 

* * *

 

It was the day of the show. In fact, it had already started. Viktor has walked out a few times already, and all the clothes looked even more stunning in person than on paper. There were also a lot more people who came to watch than he initially anticipated. He knew Katsudon’s shows were big. He could only expect that many large companies and well-know reporters would request for an invite to attend the show. He just didn’t expect the place to be a full house. Minako even mentioned that she had to turn down people that were practically gods in the fashion world since the available space had already run out. It was honestly amazing.

Viktor also got to know all the other models during the clothes fittings the day before. All of them were very friendly. Most he recognized from other shows he’s been in such as Phichit Chulanont (who makes some wonderful designs himself when he’s got spare time) and Chris, which he found to be a pleasant surprise. There were others who seemed new, but he recognized their names. One being Minami Kenjirou. He was a bit on the short side, especially for a model, but he was plenty likable, and seemed to have a growing fanbase. Viktor could understand why. Minami was just a ball of energy. Who wouldn’t love a kid like that? The others were people that he’s never even heard of before, though learned that they were personal friends of Katsudon’s. They weren’t professional, which to Viktor was unheard of, but after considering that this was Katsudon, Viktor’s surprise simply became an admiration for the models to simply be there to support Katsudon.

Though all of these people were very different, there was definitely one thing they all had in common. They all regularly modeled for Katsudon, everyone having their own reasons to be helping out. Whether they found Katsudon to be inspiring, or whether they were just a close friend, everyone seemed to love what Katsudon was doing. It was evident as they walked on stage, truly showing off the clothes Katsudon has created with all they’ve got. With all their passion. They really wanted for all these new clothing to turn out as another success. Viktor couldn’t help but do the same.

In the end, after Viktor got to wear the stunning, princely design, and walk back on the runway with all the other models, feeling happy. Legitimately happy. It feels like it's been so long since he’s worn anything and actually became a part of it. So long since he’s smiled and actually meant it. So long since he stroke a pose and owned it. Viktor was in love with the feeling. He didn’t realize how much he did until now. Katsudon gave back to him something he thought he’d lost, and for that, he was eternally grateful.

After Viktor’s first time modeling for Katsudon, he gladly did it again and again. He even began turning down other shows that would happen even a few months within the preparations for Katsudon’s. He’s never done that in the past. He just accepted everything. Modeling for shows one after the other, even when he was tired. He was almost a robot. But he felt a sort of tie to Katsudon now. They saved Viktor from a boring repetitive life. He didn’t want to miss out on anything they had to offer from this point on.

He still hasn’t met the person hiding behind the curtains. It’s been two years now, Viktor is now twenty-eight, and he still happily takes up any offer to model for Katsudon. Like all the other who did the same, he never got sick of it. Every show had something new. Something more to offer. Katsudon never ran out of ways to surprise Viktor. In fact, they never ran out of ways to surprise the world.

 

* * *

 

Viktor just finished up another show a few days ago, the best thing he wore for the event being a white and red jacket with black fur on the hood. It was very comfortable and Minako even insisted that he should take it after the post-show display. He tried to decline, but she was extremely persistent. He ended up accepting the offer. Minako promised that he’d have it within a month. He definitely looked forward to it.

As of current, Viktor was at home either catching up on anything he missed on social media while he’s been busy. He was also taking care of some business like checking emails. And boy oh boy there were a lot of them.

Some were requests for interviews or photo shoot sessions, which he planned to respond to after checking up on his schedule with Yakov. Other emails were simply fan-mail. He responded to those every so often. Mostly when it was just the fan asking for advice. But while scrolling, one particular email caught his eye. The title wasn’t what was particularly special since all it said was “Thank you.” He got emails titled that often. But what caught his eye was the sender. It came from someone going by Katsudon. Now, he didn’t want to jump to conclusions here, but if this was exactly who he thought it was and not just some fan…

Viktor opened the email and read through it once. Twice even to make sure he read it correctly.

“Greeting Mr. Nikiforov,” It started, “I am Katsudon, as most people know me. I simply wanted to thank you for the hard work you’ve put into modeling my clothes. Most especially since you’ve accepted every request since the first one you modeled in two years ago. I can really see the love you put into the job every time you walk down the runway, and I appreciate it so so much. I deeply apologize for never actually appearing though. I stay anonymous for my own personal reasons, which I hope you can understand. To make up for that, please feel free to talk to me through email whenever you please. I’m not great with words, so I might respond slowly, but I would really love to get to know you! It’s the least I could do for someone who dedicates so much time and effort to all of my fashion shows. Again, thank you, and I hope you have a fantastic day!”

Viktor was at least 90% sure that this was from the real deal. To turn that into a 100%, he even texted Minako, asking if Katsudon had sent him an email, which she confirmed a few minutes later. Viktor was beaming. He couldn’t believe that they were actually talking to them! Let alone wanted to get to know him. Viktor definitely wouldn’t mind. Katsudon seemed like a kind person from their words. Plus their friends seem to speak well of them.

Viktor responded quickly, of course asking to just be called Viktor. Mr. Nikiforov was simply too formal for him. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say, or what he _should_ say, so he just went with whatever came to his head first. Viktor told them that he loved their work, also about how he wouldn’t mind talking to them more often. But most importantly, he thanked them. Katsudon helped him in the point of his life when he firmly believed that it was going nowhere. When he got to the stuck, thinking that there was nowhere left for him to go. Katsudon helped him out of that mind set, and after two years, he was still grateful.

He hoped he didn’t sound cheesy, but he just had to say it. The email was sent, and that was enough for Viktor to close his laptop for the time being to rest in the company of his thoughts.

Katsudon had done so much more for Viktor than they themselves probably realized. He really hoped that he could one day return what was given to him. He truly hoped that he could give Katsudon something as fresh as the new life that was given to him. Something that burned as bright as the new found passion within him. Most especially, give back something as great as the love that was given to him.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing a fic in five years, so I hope I did alright. This AU has been an idea of mine for a while now, and although I wasn't planning to write anything at first, I ended up getting really obsessed with the idea and so I went through with it. I'm really glad I did, because now I'm just really excited for this whole thing!
> 
> Special thanks to my friend @harlivyHQ on twitter for helping me with editing!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading~  
> If you want to see art of anything they wear, I draw them every so often and post it on my twitter: @nikniako


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